Searching for Sacred Mountain

Curator
This film was selected by Rosemary Carbine, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Whittier College  

Why I chose this film
I have used this film in a comparative religion and ecology class and found it fruitful to raise students’ global and religious studies awareness about the inextricable interrelationship of ecological and social issues from Buddhist perspectives.

Teacher's guide    
Download the Teacher's Guide (PDF) for maps, background information and suggested subjects, questions and activities.

Synopsis
The Tibetan monastery at Baiyu rests in the brilliant Nianbaoyuze mountain range, a sacred and nationally protected park. This mountain range is the epitome of intersections between religion and environment and China—and a key element in Searching for Sacred Mountain.

The documentary tells the story of Liu Jianqiang, an investigative environmental journalist and Beijing editor of chinadialogue who has recently converted to Buddhism. The documentary includes footage of senior Chinese government officials declaring their commitment to an ‘ecological civilization’ that draws on Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, and other Chinese cultural traditions as a means of addressing the country's growing environmental challenges. It also shows that leading Chinese academics are making the connection between such traditions and the protection of vulnerable lands and habitats.

Peking University conservation biologist Dr. Lü Zhi is featured in the program, discussing the remarkable success of the Buddhist communities that have been able to preserve old growth forests for centuries.

"When I first visited the Tibetan region in the 1990s I was surprised by what I found. At that time there was a lot of logging going on, but in some areas the original forest was preserved. There were huge trees 600 and 700 years old. In some of these areas the animals were not afraid of people. I thought this was very strange; why were these areas preserved? I asked the local people how this happened and they said, “Oh, this is our sacred mountain.” But what did that mean? How could this be possible?” -

"“Buddhism’s approach to the concept of protection is through an act of self-discipline. We’ve often wondered which would work best: laws which are based on punishment or economic incentives which are based on financial rewards. The Buddhist system is different. It comes from the heart of the people.” - Conservation Biologist Dr. Lü Zhi, Peking University

Environmental Justice Focus
As environmental justice studies multidimensional intersections of ecological and social issues, this film features Buddhist ethics and practices as a meaningful and scientifically-documented successful way to promote environmental protection in China, especially in Tibetan regions. Climate change, extractive industries, infrastructure plans/construction, industrial pollution and waste disposal, etc. all threaten land, air, water, forests, wildlife habitats, and so on. Buddhist ethics could provide an important means to redress these impacts in China.   

Download the transcript (PDF)

Download Teacher's Guide for Searching for Sacred Mountain (PDF)
Written by Rosemary Carbine, associate Professor or Religious Studies,  Whittier College

The Science of Sacred Mountain: An extended Interview with Dr. Lü Zhi 
A conservation biologist at Peking University, Dr Lü describes her first visits to the Tibetan area and how that led to the research on sacred lakes and mountains that she and her students carried out and published in 2013. "Buddhism's approach to the concept of protection is through an act of self-discipline. We've often wondered which would work best: laws which are based on punishment or economic incentives which are based on financial rewards. The Buddhist system is different. It comes from the heart of the people." - Dr. Lü Zhi   This interview was recorded by Shi Lihong, edited by Gary Marcuse and published on the website of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.

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Citation

Main credits

Marcuse, Gary (film director)
Shi, Lihong (film director)
Sam Lazaro, Fred de (narrator)

Other credits

Editor, Xia Tong; music, Dennis Burke; camera, Li Lei, Zhao Hang.

Distributor credits

Producer: Face to Face Media

Director: Gary Marcuse and Shi Lihong

Vancouver Post Production
Co-Director GARY MARCUSE
Editor XIA TONG
Music DENNIS BURKE
Mixer EWAN DEANE
Online LARRY DI STEFANO
Administration BETSY CARSON
Animation MARK STUCKERT SEQUENCE POST

Baiyu and Beijing
Co-Director SHI LIHONG
Camera LI LEI
2nd Camera ZHAO HANG
Audio WEI XIAOYU
Driver YOU FENG

Narration
FRED DE SAM LAZARO
Under-Told Stories Project
St. Mary's University

Voice over
CATHERINE ZHU
KALSANG DAWA
GARY MARCUSE

Special Thanks
LU ZHI
TASHI SANGE
QIAMEI RINPOCHE
BAIYU MONASTERY
RESIDENTS OF BAIYU
YOUNGHE LAMA TEMPLE
SANJIANGYUAN NATURE RESERVE
OMNIFILM POST

Stockshots
IBE
SHAN SHUI
TASHI SANGE
FACE TO FACE MEDIA
XI ZHINONG, WILD CHINA FILM
ALLIANCE OF RELIGION AND CONSERVATION
GUIZHOU SATELLITE TV
TAKUNGPAO.COM.HK
CCTV

Produced by Face to Face Media